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alaró

The Complete Alaró Travel Guide

Castles, witches, and cowboy boots… allow me to introduce you to one of Mallorca’s better-kept secrets, Alaró. 

Based on the southern foothills of the Tramuntana mountain range, this small town will welcome you with narrow, blonde cobblestone streets, surrounded by breathtaking views of rolling green mountains and cutting cliff faces. Alaró has managed to stay relatively untouched by tourism, offering a more authentic Spanish charm compared to some of the other getaway locations that Mallorca has to offer. 

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Despite its smaller size, Alaró has so much to explore. Aside from its richness in folklore and legends, Alaró has amazing nature to explore, with an abundance of hiking and biking routes. Alaró holds incredible restaurants, ranging from traditional Mallorquin cuisine to modern culinary fusions. The hotels hold the same scope, from a hiker’s refuge by a castle, to Mediterranean island glam, you can find the vacation you’re seeking with a little help from this complete Alaró travel guide.

How To Get To Alaró

Alaró is located about 30 km from both Palma‘s city center and the PMI airport. 

Driving

From the Airport: Take the Ma-19 towards Palma, then get on the Ma-20 ring road around Palma, before heading northbound on the Ma-13 up to exit 17. From there, the Ma-2022 will take you into Alaró.

From Palma: Get on the Ma-20 towards Andratx/Port d’Alcúdia. Continue on the Ma-20, then take exit 3 for the Ma-13. From the Ma-13, take exit 17. From there, the Ma-2022 will take you into Alaró. Without heavy traffic, both routes take about 30 minutes each.

Public Transportation

While there is no direct bus or train to the center of Alaró, do not fret, as it is still relatively easily accessible with a little bit of planning ahead.

From Estació Intermodal, you can take the T1, T2, or T3 train to the Alaró/Consell stop, a journey that will take just over 20 minutes. From this stop, you take the TIB 342 bus, which leaves a couple times per hour directly from the Alaró/Consell station parking lot. This bus journey takes less than 10 minutes and will plop you right in the middle of Alaró. In total, this journey will take about 40 minutes.

You can buy both tickets together online for 2.70€ at tib.org. Or, you can purchase a train ticket at one of the many ticket machines within Estació Intermodal and a bus ticket on board, for a combined total of 5.70€.

Unlike the EMT buses, TIB buses accept card payments, so you don’t have to worry if you’re short on cash (Don’t forget to tap your card on the chip reader when you exit the bus, or you’ll be charged an additional 0.30€ fee.)


Where To Stay In Alaró

Best Experience Stay: Hospedería del Castillo de Alaró

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File ID 238769675 | © Boarding1now | Dreamstime.com

Alaró is home to one of the island’s eight refugios, Hospedería del Castillo de Alaró. Located right next to the ruins of the Castell d’Alaró, this refugio is situated on a natural viewpoint, offering you extraordinary views of the Tramuntana mountain range. Prices for a bed in the collective bedroom go for just 14€ per night, with the option to purchase additional items such as breakfast and dinner.

These refugios offer a warm community space, to meet people enjoying the beauty of Mallorca from all over the world, as well as inexpensive housing with stunning views. As with the other refugios on the island, Hospedería del Castillo de Alaró is inaccessible by car. You can reach this inn by hiking up to the remains of the Castell d’Alaró, a hike that takes just under two hours, depending on your pace.


Best Luxury Stay: Hotel Rural S’Olivaret

If you are seeking a stay rich in both its luxury and history, look no further than Hotel Rural S’Olivaret. This stunning villa dates back to the 17th century, originally built as an estate for producing olive oil. It is located right in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana, and provides incredible views that you can enjoy from its equally incredible facilities, such as the outdoor pool. This hotel also provides a wellness spa, in case you need to unwind after your days of exploration or a long bike ride. Photos alone cannot do this place justice, it is truly one of the most special hotels I have ever come across, and a stay here will always be a memorable experience.

S’Olivaret offers 27 rooms, priced between 170€ and 300€. Each room is unique with personal decor and Mallorquin elements.


Best Boutique Stay: Petit Hotel Alaró

Petit Hotel Alaró is located in a gorgeous refurbished 19th-century Spanish villa, providing you with the Mediterranean charm of classic wooden beams and tile floors. I love this villa because it’s able to provide you with a sense of luxury and comfort, without feeling pretentious. It holds seven charming bedrooms, complete with antique Mallorquin furniture. Petit Hotel Alaró also boasts a lush garden, complete with a swimming and lounging area for those hot summer afternoons.

Rooms go for between 90€ to 110€, depending on the season, and your stay comes with a delicious breakfast that can be enjoyed on the garden terrace or in their cozy dining room next to a fireplace.


Where To Eat In Alaró

Traditional Dining: Es Verger

Stepping into Es Verger, or “The Lamb Restaurant” feels like taking a step back in time. The moment you walk in, you are surrounded by a smell of wood smoke and roasting meat. The restaurant has an authentically rustic feel, with animal heads adorning the walls and long wooden tables, like something out of a tavern in Game of Thrones. Es Verger attracts flocks of tourists and locals alike for their beer-roasted lamb (paletilla de cordero) but they have a selection of other classic Mallorquin dishes as well, my personal favorite being their Tumbet, a dish comparable to ratatouille, with roasted layers of vegetables on top of potatoes.

Es Verger is reasonably priced, with their famous lamb costing 17€. To reach Es Verger, you can take a bit of a hairy drive up a long winding road, or hike up to it, as it’s along the same route that leads to Castell d’Alaró, about a 90-minute walk from town.

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Best Bar: SIMON’S The Bar

I would be hard-pressed to find better hosts than Simon and Marion. From the moment you enter their bar, you will feel welcomed by their lively and outgoing presence. This bar has a unique ambiance compared to the others in Alaró, with an elegant, modern, and dimly lit interior, making it the ideal spot for intimate conversations or to enjoy a drink with close friends. This bar offers a wide range of cocktails and liquors, as well as a few of Simon’s own concoctions. As a former private chef, Marion is well versed in creating eloquent and creative dishes, with recipes as fresh as their ingredients.

A cocktail at Simon’s costs 10€, and a meal is about 15€.

Best Italian: La Bufala

La Bufala is an Italian restaurant, well known for their wood-fired pizzas, pastas handmade with care, and an outstanding risotto. Their menu offers italian classics, as well as classic Mallorquin ingredients, such as ravioli stuffed with figs and fresh cheese, or pizza adorned with Esclata-sangs mushrooms (one of the many treasures of the Balearic Islands), buffalo mozzarella, sobrasada and Alaró honey.

Their outdoor terrace provides a quiet and cozy atmosphere to enjoy a meal. The menu is well priced, with the majority of main courses costing about 10€.

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What To Do In Alaró

Hike to Alaró’s castle

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The hike to Castell d’Alaró is one of the must-do activities during your stay, but I wouldn’t get too jazzed about the castle portion of it all, as it isn’t a castle in the popularized sense of the word. It was originally constructed for military purposes, built as a fortress for people to take refuge during wartime. There are records of this castle dating all the way back to the year 902, so it isn’t too surprising that what remains is mainly rubble accompanied by a couple of walls. However, in my opinion, that doesn’t make this hike any less spectacular, as the peak point offers panoramic views of the lovely Tramuntana mountain range. Restaurant Es Verger is also situated about halfway through the hike, making it the perfect place to rest and enjoy some delicious food.

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Find treasures at the Alaró Market

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Every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Alaró Market is held in Plaça de la Vila. This market offers fresh fruits and vegetables, handicrafts, textiles, artisan products, and footwear.

Experience the Autumn Artisan’s Fair

Every year, at the end of September, the artisans of Alaró gather to display the various craftwork of the town. Recently, these fairs have also been incorporating more activities into the fair like cooking shows and regional wine tasting.

Find Your Perfect Pair of Cowboy Boots at Tony Mora

The town of Alaró rose to fame for its leather shoemaking prowess. At its peak, this area had up to 30 factories and over 2000 people dedicated to this craft. While it no longer has as large of a population dedicated to this field, it is still important to the town and its culture. You can visit the factory shop of Tony Mora located in town, a company that is internationally recognized for their stylish and unique cowboy boots.

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Indulge in Wine Tasting

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Alaró is in close proximity to many of the island’s best wineries, including Bodegas Ribas, Bodegas Macia Batle, Bodegues Castell Miquel and Bodegas Angel.

Get Moving on your Bike

Alaró is situated in a prime area for biking some of the island’s most beautiful trails. The coffee shop in the center of town, Cycling Planet, can fuel you with a delicious coffee and pastry, as well as high-end bike supplies, before your ride.

Fires i Festes

Sant Antoni – January 16th & 17th

Sant Antoni is a Mallorquin staple, with celebrations full of fire, grilling, and dimonis throughout the island’s towns. On the night of January 16th, you will find the people of Alaró grilling llonganisses, a Catalan dry-cured pork sausage, and botifarres, a large Catalan pork sausages, on the bonfires throughout the town.

Easter – March & April

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the most important celebration of the Catholic Church that memorializes the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Throughout this week, elaborate floats and parades are carried through the streets of Alaró, holding icons for the passage of the Passion. At the end of this week, the Resurrection on Easter Sunday takes place.

Pancaritat: l’Àngel – March & April

On the Sunday following Easter, you can participate in the climb to Alaró castle, where hundreds of people travel to enjoy the Feast of the Angel, known as Pancaritat.

Virgin of May – May

May, known as the month of Mother Mary, is celebrated on the last Saturday of the month of May. During this celebration, Cossiers dance around the streets of Los Damunt. There are seven dancers as well as a Dimoni, because it’s really not a Mallorquin party without a Dimoni. These dancers perform four traditional dances, which have been performed since the 16th century, conveying the story between the Dama (Lady) and the Dimoni (Devil).

Sant Pere – June 29th

The celebrations of Sant Pere, the patron saint of the Los Damunt neighborhood of Alaró, mark the beginning of summer in Mallorca. This celebration consists of several outside activities and is perfect for families to enjoy together.

Sant Roc – the week of August 16th

The celebrations of Sant Roc take place the week leading up to August 16th. This day marks the eradication of the plague during the 16th century, caused by Sant Roc’s miraculous intervention in answering parishioners’ prayers. This week of festivals consists of various cultural events, such as the performance of the Cossiers dances, races, floats, performances, art exhibitions, concerts and, you guessed it, Dimonis. This celebration ends with a correfoc, in which individuals dressed as dimonis light off fireworks at the Plaça de la Vila.

Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary – September

During the first Sunday of September, the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated very similarly to Mary’s celebration for the month of May. Another hike to the castle takes place, ending in a large feast.

Last-Minute Hotel Deals In Alaró

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